Meet the Author

The FermentedlyChallenged blog has been retired since the end of October 2016. It has been a great 9 year run. Thanks to all the readers and brewery staff for all your support in the past. I'm living in the Denver metro area and working in the Cable TV industry now. Cheers and enjoy beer responsibly. Follow along on social media - @ChipperDave on Twitter and on Facebook.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Today is Vinyl Record Day. Back on this date in 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and played the first vinyl recording of sound. Since then, the music industry had embraced that medium for the recording and selling of music and other forms of entertainment. With the advent of the CD and MP3 players, vinyl records fell out of favor. But today, there seems to be a resurgence of nostalgia that is bringing back the fun and high fidelity of the vinyl recorded music. There is a whole industry now dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of vinyl record art and recordings. Some brewery taprooms are now hosting vinyl record nights and are inviting people to bring in their old (& new) albums. Why not dig out your vinyl records, dust off that phonograph and listen to some vinyl music while enjoying a beer. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, August 12th, 2014. If you aren't reading this article on FermentedlyChallenged.com, you don't know what you're missing.

Epic Brewing Co (Denver) - What's with all the traffic cones and tape outside of Epic Brewing? They have begun work on constructing their outdoor patio. Look for the ability to enjoy an Epic brew outside on their new patio in the weeks to come. [3001 Walnut St, Denver, CO]

Lone Tree Brewing Co (Lone Tree) - Business is good! As of August 1st, LTBC has already matched all of 2013's production and still had 5 months left in 2014! As they say - "You keep drinking and we'll keep brewing". They currently have their Oktoberfest Lager Bier in the works. Look for it at their Oktoberfest 2014 celebration on September 20th. Plus, coming up tomorrow, August 13th, they'll tap their Pilsner. And coming up in late August or early September you can look forward to this year's Wet Hop IPA. [8200 Park Meadows Dr #8222, Lone Tree, CO] Sponsored ad from City Star Brewing - Berthoud, CO.

Copper Kettle Brewing Co (Denver) - The theme for their Wednesday cask releases this month is "Childhood Cereals" and this Wednesday, CKBC will tap their "Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cask", a wheat ale. Check out this uniquely different brew with notes of cinnamon. [1338 S Valentia St, Unit 100, Denver, CO]

Black Shirt Brewing Co (Denver) - Their annual release of "Red Evelyn", an imperial red rye IPA, is returning to the tap wall this Saturday, August 16th. They brew this beer once per year to celebrate and honor the life of their Grandma, Evelyn Ann Miller. The party is from 2-10 pm, with live music, good food, and, of course, one of the best Red Ales that they brew. This year Red Evelyn will be available on tap and in 22-oz custom printed bombers, $9.99/ea, with a general public limit of 3 bottles. SBS members will be able to purchase up to 6 bottles. Doors open that day at 2pm. SBS members can buy up to 6 bottles and is packaged right off the tank as you wait. Live music at 3pm. At 4pm the general public can get some bomber bottles with a 3 bottle maximum. And more live music throughout the evening. [3719 Walnut St, Denver, CO]

Diebolt Brewing Co (Denver) - [PRESS RELEASE] Diebolt Brewing Company will release a new beer, Diebolt’s International Ale (DIA), this Friday the 15th. DIA will be joining the cast of eight other brews on tap at its Sunnyside tasting room. Welcome aboard! We stowed three international hop varieties and one extremely simple malt bill into the overhead compartment on this one to create a crisp, smooth flight of hoppy flavor. On behalf of our entire crew, we’d like to thank you for flying Diebolt. “The hop flavors and aromas are unlike any other IPA you've ever had.” says Jack Diebolt “We used Japanese, New Zealand and UK hops varieties with a large portion as First Wort Hops additions to create a truly unique, refined hop profile.” The beer will be available when the tasting room opens at 4 p.m. Friday the 15th. Local food truck Bakin' Bakery will serve at the brewery that evening. [3855 Mariposa St, Denver, CO]

Golden City Brewery (Golden) - Bring on the stout! Their dry stout was just released late yesterday and it's called "2nd Degree Irish Stout". The brew got it's name because while brewing it someone got a painful 2nd degree burn while making it. Ouch! [920 12th St, Golden, CO]

Coda Brewing Co (Aurora) - New beers are a coming! Slap the Pony Lager will be tapped next Tuesday as part of their Music Collaboration series with a fantastic New Zealand reggae band: The Black Seeds. Next - Hydle Ale will be tapped next Thursday the 21st, then the Indigent Row Irish whiskey oak aged Stout on Friday (Aug 22nd) and the 12th Doctor Scotch Strong Ale on Saturday (Aug 23rd). Be there and taste the music! [2101 N Ursula Ct, Aurora, CO]

River North Brewery (Denver) - For this week's Wayward Wednesday, they're doubling down on the fruit! Single kegs of both apricot and mango infused J. Marie. Only five gallons each, first pour at 3pm tomorrow! For today, they have Tripel and Grand Unified Theory on tap! [2401 Blake St, Unit 1, Denver, CO]

Boulder County

Colorado Craft Beer Round Up (Frederick) - Ready for a boot-stomping, beer tasting good time? This Saturday, August 16th from 4pm to 7pm - Mosey on over to the CO Craft Beer Roundup where over 20 Colorado breweries will be serving up suds to quench your thirst as food vendors quell your hunger, and plenty of live music and games entertain you! Featuring a kids corral with free kids activities including a fun splash pad, this fundraiser for the Carbon Valley Chamber of Commerce is sure to delight fun lovers of all ages! With a General Admission ticket, you get a mini Co Craft Beer Roundup tasting mug, unlimited samples from over 20 awesome Colorado Breweries and access to the event’s entertainment! If you want to skip the lines and get to the beer tasting quicker than the General Admission crowd, you can buy the VIP Admission ticket so you can get into the event at 3:00pm. Tickets and info at the Official Website. Location: [Crist Park - 105 5th St, Frederick, CO]

Oskar Blues Brewery (Longmont) - [PRESS RELEASE] The first annual VIVA LYONS will take place on Saturday, September 13 starting at 5PM in Bohn Park. Presented by Oskar Blues Brewery and featuring a special performance by Grammy-nominated bluegrass-rock band The Infamous Stringdusters, VIVA LYONS will be an event of remembrance, marking the one-year anniversary of the devastating floods that caused great damage throughout the Colorado Front Range, and celebration, saluting the resilience and rebuilding efforts of hard-hit towns like Lyons. As many communities are still recovering from the widespread flooding that took place in the early fall of 2013, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has declared September 13 as a statewide day of service. Colorado United Day will bring together volunteers from all over the state for a dedicated workday that continues ongoing disaster relief efforts in many communities. At the end of the day, Governor Hickenlooper will address the crowd at VIVA LYONS, as the culminating event to this united statewide effort. VIVA LYONS is being presented by Lyons-based Oskar Blues Brewery, a steadfast partner with The Infamous Stringdusters in supporting Colorado flood relief through the Oskar Blues CAN'd Aid Foundation. The foundation emerged following the Colorado flooding and has raised over $1M total while contributing over $700,000 to Colorado flood relief. All proceeds from the event will benefit CAN'd Aid Foundation flood relief efforts throughout Colorado. Produced in conjunction with the Town of Lyons, Cyclists 4 Lyons and the Office of Governor Hickenlooper, VIVA LYONS will become an annual celebration for Front Range communities to come together and mark a new beginning. For details and more information on VIVA LYONS visit www.vivalyons.com.

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co (Lafayette) - In the days leading up to their Grand Opening this Saturday, August 16th, Liquid Mechanics has opened in advance with several beers on tap including: Patersbier, Kolsch, Red Ale, and Blackberry Sour. On Saturday they will add a Belgian IPA, Saison, Hefe, Chipotle Lime Kolsch, and Imperial Porter. They have Wifi too. They are open all this week from 2pm to 9pm. Stop in and give them a taste! [297 US Hwy 287 #100, Lafayette, CO]

Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery (Boulder) - Today at all four of our locations, Mountain Sun will release a super limited beer: Ciel Sauvage! Ciel Sauvage starts life as a batch of Ciel Lumineux. After the primary fermentation is complete, the beer is transferred to tanks which are dedicated to making only "wild" and/or "sour" beers. This is to minimize the risk of cross-contamination to the rest of the brewery. Once the beer is transferred, Brettanomyces Drei Fonteinen is added for secondary fermentation. After the secondary fermentation is complete, the beer is then dry-hopped, carbonated and kegged similar to a regular batch of Ciel Lumineux. The result is a funky 6.4% ABV concoction with aromas reminiscent of tart pineapple and funky “barnyard” flavors which complement the American hops and flavors from the Orval yeast strain used in the primary fermentation. [1535 Pearl St, Boulder, CO]

The Old Mine (Erie, CO) - Looking for something without hops but still has a kick and a bit of sour as well? Come their their new Sweet Tart Hard Cider. It's a sour hard apple cider. Mmmmmm! [500 Briggs St, Erie, CO]

Northern Colorado

Broken Plow Brewery (Greeley) - Today you can get $2.00 off Growler and Snarler fills all day long. Later this week, Wednesday and Friday - Elements Wood Fired Pizza will be back on site. Wednesday is Trivia Night. And singer Jordan Mestas will debut at The Plow on Friday night. Plus, the Road Grill will be there on Saturday. And don't forget - plenty of good beer on tap! [4731 W 10th St, Greeley, CO]

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Looking for something different and gluten free? High Hops will be tapping a "Pineapple Gluten Free Ale" this Wednesday, August 13th at 5pm as part of their Wednesday Firkin Release series. It's described as "a crisp and light concoction brewed with sorghum and fresh pineapples. This larley-free brew offers a unique tartness with a nice fruity sweetness and aroma." [6461 Hwy 392, Windsor, CO]

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Hey locals - how are your gardens doing this year? Do you make the best salsa around? Then compete in their People's Choice Award style contest set for saturday August 30th from 2pm to 5pm. 13 participants will get to battle for the best salsa. Entry Form available in the taproom. $25 entry fee with a 3 quart minimum. Prizes will be given out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Customers can come try these salsas. Grimm Brothers will provide the chips. Get 1 beer and 13 samples for $15 or 13 samples and no beer for $10. Vote for your favorite salsa. Bottlecap BBQ will be on site serving up tasty BBQ from 3-7pm that day. $1 of every pint sold during the competition will go to Big Thompson Kiwanis Club in Loveland, CO. [623 Denver Ave, Loveland, CO]

The Fort Collins Brewery (Ft. Collins) - FCB and their restaurant Gravity 1020 inside Fort Collins Brewery is open during the road construction. Lincoln is closed, but you can still access their parking lot from Lemay or Lincoln. Come in for lunch or dinner and drinks! [1020 E Lincoln Ave, Ft. Collins, CO]

New Belgium Brewing (Ft. Collins) - [PRESS RELEASE] New Belgium Brewing’s Fall Seasonal, Tour de Fall, Captures the Ruckus and Fun of Tour de Fat in a Bottle. This American Pale Ale features Cascade and Amarillo hops and is available now through October. New Belgium Brewing’s new fall seasonal celebrates Tour de Fat, the brewery’s traveling festival of bikes, beer and bemusement. As the ten-city tour begins the second half of the 2014 schedule this American-style Pale Ale will also hit the road and be available in New Belgium markets across the country through October. At six percent ABV and 38 IBUs, this beer is a go-to for the fall. Pale malt, chocolate rye and caramel add a slight bitter-sweet flavor and a red hue to the pour. Hops dominate its aroma with pine, floral, tangerine, lemon rind and tropical fruit notes. “This well-balanced, crisp beer is perfect for fall,” said New Belgium Assistant Brewmaster, Grady Hull. “It’s not spiced like a lot of other fall beers, instead, Tour de Fall is dry-hopped with two different hop varieties, making it refreshing, light and easy to drink.” Tour de Fall is available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft. Pricing varies by location. In addition to Tour de Fall, this fall New Belgium brings back Saison Harvest Ale in the new Fall Folly Packs. In the Can Folly Packs 1554 Black Lager, is joining the mix – its can debut. Last year’s Pumpkick Pumpkin Ale will also be available in limited release. [500 Linden, Ft. Collins, CO]

Pateros Creek Brewing Co (Ft. Collins) - The brewers were bit by the creative bug and decided to have some fun, so they whipped up "Sweet Sin", a caramel apple red ale. Come and grab a pint of this tastiness while it lasts today! Plus - Pateros Creek Brewing now has an app! Download it from the Apple Store or Google Play today. [242 N College Ave Unit B, Ft. Collins, CO]

Fieldhouse Brewing Co (Colorado Springs) - Starting this Wednesday and for every Wednesday after that, Fieldhouse Brewing will be hosting "Test Tap Wednesday" at 5pm. Their first test batch is a Cherry Wheat. These batches are very small and are designed to be gone quickly. Stop in weekly for something different and tasty. [521 S Tejon, Colo. Springs, CO]

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Don't forget that tonight and every Tuesday at Trinity Brewing at 5pm is BACON Nite! Get one free slice of bacon with each Trinity beer purchased. [1466 Garden of the Gods Rd, Colo. Springs, CO]

Mountains and West

Casey Brewing & Blending (Glenwood Springs) - Beer geeks and barrel-aged fans take note! Casey Brewing & Blending has posted a bottle release date of October 4th at 11am for 5 different fruited barrel-aged Farmhouse ales. Variations on this ale come in these flavors AND in bottles: Cherry, Peach, Plum, Shiro Plum, and Blackberry. Plus on that day, they will also have an Apricot version on tap (not bottled) and their Saison Blend Three. Bottle purchases are limited as they only made 20 cases of each. Plan to attend! [3421 Grand Ave, Glenwood Springs, CO]

Tommyknocker Brewery (Idaho Springs) - Tis the season for pumpkins! (Yes already!) - Pick up a 6-pack of Tommyknocker Small Patch Pumpkin Harvest Ale. It's a festive seasonal ale with pumpkin and a touch of molasses and spice. Look for it wherever Tommyknocker beers are sold. [1401 Miner St, Idaho Springs, CO]

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co (Edwards) - [PRESS RELEASE] Crazy Mountain Brewery Releases Female Intern-Brewed Beer to the Public. Hitcher’s Ginger Release Party Friday Aug. 15th. Crazy Mountain Brewing Company’s two summer interns, Lisa Windom and Bre Steinmeyer, will hold a release party on Friday, August 15th, in Crazy Mountain Brewery's tasting room to debut their internship final project - a beer they brewed themselves. Over the course of their 3-month summer internship, the two girls were given the opportunity most craft beer lovers can only dream of: to design, brew, market, and sell a specialty craft brew in a microbrewery outfit. Both Steinmeyer and Windom are currently enrolled at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and will graduate with degrees in Marketing and Management (Steinmeyer) and Chemistry (Windom). Windom holds the title of Production and Quality Control Management Intern, while Steinmeyer is the Marketing and Events Intern for Crazy Mountain Brewery. The girl-powered duo is revolutionizing the craft beer industry. With the increasing number of women entering the industry, Windom and Steinmeyer set out to not only create a wonderful craft beer, but also to support and empower women to join this male-dominated industry. “We want to show the craft beer culture that girls can hang with the boys. We too can create great tasting craft beer; this is no longer a man’s world.” With the release of Crazy Mountain Brewery’s only ginger brew, Windom and Steinmeyer are doing just that. “We enjoy having our interns create new brews for us. It is a learning experience for them, and a great opportunity for us to have a youthful, fresh perspective behind-the-scenes for new and eclectic recipe,” Marisa Selvy, co-owner of Crazy Mountain Brewing Company, states. “The fact that the two creative minds behind this brew happen to be two young women is incredible. It’s not too frequent that you see women working in the craft brewing industry, let alone physically brewing the product themselves. It’s refreshing to see.” Selvy adds. Following the release of Hitcher’s Ginger, the product will be sold on tap in Crazy Mountain Brewery’s tasting room. Hitcher’s Ginger will also make an appearance at the 4th Annual Alpine Insurance Agency Ed Fest: Craft Beer and Music Festival presented by Crazy Mountain Brewery on Saturday, August. 16th. Windom and Steinmeyer will also introduce Hitcher’s Ginger to the Front Range in late August with a release party in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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